Many different teams are dominated by a specific personality type. If you have multiple Enneagram Fives on your team, this article is for you!
So how do you know if you have a bunch of Fives on your team? If your team hasn't looked into the enneagram and you don't know for sure, here are a few questions to help you determine for yourself:
Does your team take a long time to make decisions?
Do the people on your team want lots of details?
Does your team have multiple people you'd want on a trivia team with you?
Do people on your team tend to really think through something before responding?
Do many people on your team seem unemotional?
Does your team highly value learning and personal development?
If you answered yes to 4 or more of those questions, odds are you've got several Fives on your team.
Fives can really be a gift to a team. They are usually very wise and thoughtful. If you've got questions, they have answers...or at least they'll be excited to find the answers you are looking for. Fives tend to not make rash decisions because they think through everything very methodically.
On the other hand, though, Fives can sometimes cause a team to slow down too much. They can be afraid of decisions because they often feel like they don't yet have enough information. If they sense they have nothing to gain from a group of people, they may retreat back into whatever is occupying their own minds.
Here are a couple of great tips about what to do with the Fives on your team in order to succeed together.
First, Fives need time to process. Before meeting with them, try to give them a heads-up about what the meeting will be about. This way they have time to process and research ahead of time and be prepared when the meeting actually takes place. They don't usually do impromptu well.
Second, minimize social requirements on Fives. Out of all the enneagram types, Fives have some of the least social energy. You can easily wear them out with too much socialization.
Finally, don't assume that Fives don't have feelings just because they don't seem to show them. Their emotions are there; they are just buried deeper than most people's. And just because they don't show emotion doesn't mean they don't care.
Leading Fives, like any number, can be challenging. But when done well, they are a critical and impactful part of any team. A healthy Five can help your team thrive in every season!
Are you an Enneagram Five? Or do you have several Fives on your team? We would love to hear your thoughts on this article. Reach out to us on social media or email us directly at hello@evrgrnteams.com